Water-meter



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. THOMSON.

WATER METER.

N0. 887,828. Patented Aug. 14, 1888.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. THOMSON.

WATER METER.

Patented Aug. 14, 1888.

illllll'i UNITED STATES PATENT rricE.

WATER-M ETE R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 887,828, dated August14, 1888.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN THOMSON, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Brooklyn, Kings county, and State of New York,have made certain new and useful Improvements in ater-Meters, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in oscillating-disk water-meters,

In the drawings, Figure l isa side elevation in which a portion of theupper cap and register-box is broken away to disclose portions of theinternal mechanism. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section throughthe meter. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the dislcchamber, the upper cupwith gear-train and plate being removed. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectionalview, detached, of stuffing-box and spindle. Fig. 5 is a top plan viewof the register-inclosing plate with gear and disconnectingpaw]. Fig. 6is adetail view of diaphragm to show method of securing the sameto thedisk chamber. Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse section through disk, andFig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detaii of conical roller and hearing.

The several objects of my invention and the manner of reaching the samewill be severally pointed out in the order of illustration.

In the stuffing-box it is desirable to obtain a perfectly tight anddurable joint with the least possible friction against the rotation ofthe spindle. This I obtain by forming, preferably, a plurality ofgrooves, as 10, either square or V-shaped in crosssection, extendingcircumierentially around the spindle 11, each groove being distinct andseparate from each other. Thus when the packing material 12 iscompressed by the nut 13 it is forced into the grooves and each channeloffers a distinct and separate obstruction to the escape of the water.In tact,1he greater the pressure, as indicated by the arrows 14, themore perfect will be the seal,owing to the packing material being forcedupward against the sides of the chan' nels. This construction alsootters increased durability, in that greater surface is presented at thepacking. In this type of meter the water may pass in either direction,(though not with equal durability) and this fact may be taken advantageof by unscrupulous users, the meter being operated in one directionuntil a certain volume is registered, and then, by reversing the meter,the hands of the register are carried backward. To detect such practice,the driving gear or pinion 15 is screwed to the spindle, and to theplate 16 is attached a light spring-pawl, 17, the arrangement being suchthat when the meter is being properly operated the pawl will ride freelyover the teeth of the gear and permitits free rotation, but uponreversing the motion of the meter the pawl will engage the gear andcause it to unscrew from the spindle. The register is thus renderedinoperative, and the cause is beyond dispute, as it will furthermore beobserved that the gear is within the register-box 18 and can only bereached for readjustment by breaking the seal and removing the box.

It is desirable to make a direct gearconnection between the internalspindle-gear,l9,and the final pinion of the internal geartrain. To thisend,the said gear 19 is fixedly secured to the spindle 11, and is thenbrought into proper mesh with the pinion 20 by sense of touch, theprojecting eudof the spindle being slid back and forth before thepacking-nut 13 and'the register-box are put in place. When the correctengagement is obtained, two or more of the flange-bolts 60 are tightenedto temporarily secure the adj nstment,and the project-ions 21 22 of thedisk-chamber and upper cap are drilled and the steady-pin 23 inserted.In this wise the mesh of the gears are not only made permanent, but themeter may be disconnected and reassembled without skillful adj ustment.

It is desirable to effect a permanent, convenient, and very rigidattachment of the dia phragm 24, which separates the inlet-port from theoutlet-port and also prevents the differential rotation of the disk.This is reached by forming upon the diaphragm two projectinglips, 25 26,which fit snugly in the recesses shown in one of the sections 27 of thediskchamber 28. These recesses are readily formed by a milling-cutterwhose center is at 29. In this wise the disk-chamber may be readilytaken apart, the diaphragm remaining in its section.

Then the disk 00 is of metal, it is of the first importance to securethe lightest and most rigid construction. This I obtain in the highestdegree, first, by forming the hall-bearing 31 hollow, and, second, byforming upon the periphery of the disk portion 32 an annular flange, 38,projecting equally beyond each of the surfaces of the disk. Thisnecessitates the two annular recesses 34 35, formed at the intersectionof the spherical and conical surfaces of the disk-chamber. The correctform of both the inside and outside surfaces of the said recesses andthe flange is the section of a sphere, the centers of which are commonwith that of the ball, as shown by the lines 36 37, Fig. 7. Thisconstruction obtains the greatest area of bearing-surface in the ballandsocket, and the flanged periphery of the disk acts as astiffening-rib, permitting the use of very thin metal and consequently alight structure.

It is necessary to the proper action of the disk that it be maintainedin uniform relation with respect to the cone-frusta, and it is 01 thefirst importance that this relation be maintained with the lowestexpenditure of power. As amatter of fact, for each complete oscillationof the disk there are two distinct but separate efforts, one graduallymerging into the other, and vice versa--namely, atendency in oneinstance to carry the disk away from the cone-frusta and a tendency inthe other instance to force the disk toward the conefrusta. To entirelyrelieve the ball and surfaces of the disk from the described strains, 1mount two conical rollers, 38 39, upon opposite ends of the disk-shaft40. Upon the sides of the disk-chamber are secured two frames, 41 42,from each of which project inward toward the center of the ball twocentral conical bearings, 43 44; also, upon both the outer surfaces ofthe upper and lower sides of the diskchamber are formed two conicalflanges, 45 46. The theoretically-correct form of the outer surfaces ofthe bearings 43 44 and the rollers 38 39 and the inside surfaces of theconical flanges 45 46 are shown in Figs. 2 and 8-namely, in which allconverge to the center of the ball. The conditions necessary to correctoperation are, that the spaces between the outer and inner surfaces ofthe central bearings, 43 44,and the conical flanges 45 46 shall be equalto each other, and that the conical rollers shall just operate freelywithin these said spaces. The rollers will therefore operate withrolling contact at all sections of their diameters, and will also resistan y tendency to thrust the disk either toward or away from thecone-frusta.

It is of course self-evident that a single roller, center-bearing, andconicalflange, as the combination of parts 43 38 45, would also so act;but the arrangement just described and here shown is selected, in thatit is the most correct. It next follows that the controlling actionshould not set up false strains. This I obviate by mounting the rollersupon conical bearing-sleeves 47, Fig. 8, the taper of whose sides issuch as to obtain an equal thickness of material in the roller betweenthe opposite contacting surfaces of the cen tral bearing and flange, asindicated by the arrows 48. Were the roller to operate on a cylindricalhearing, it will be seen that a wedge action would result, tending toforce the roller up, producing friction against its.

proper rotation. The roller is screwed upon the shaft, as at 49, and inthis manner affords ready adjustment either in the primary assembling ofthe meter or for wear of the parts. Accidental unscrewing of the conicalbearing is prevented by the pin 50. The conical bearing is also providedwith upper and lower flanges, 51 52-in the one case to prevent theroller from being thrown upward by centrifugal action and binding uponthe coned bearing, and in the other case to prevent it from dropping andwedging between the bearings.

I claim 1. The combination, in a water-meter capable of operation ineither direction of flow, of the register driving-gear, as 15, screwedto the spindle, and an engaging-pawl, as 17, the arrangement of thescrew and the pawl being such that the pawl will ride freely over thegear'when the meter is properly operated,but when improperly operatedthe said pawl will engage the gear and cause it to unscrew from thespindle, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the internal gearwheel, 19, fast to thestufflng-box spindle, the final pinion, 20, of the internal gear-train,the said gear being mounted in the upper cap and the said pinion beingmounted upon the disk-chamber, and the steady-pin 23, inserted on theoutside through the flanges of the cap and disk-chamber, all as shownand described, and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination,with the disk and diskchamber, of the conicalflanges, the central coni cal bearings, and the conical rollers mountedupon opposite ends of the disk-shaft and adapted to roll within thespace formed between the said center bearings and the conicalfianges,whereby the rollers act to receive the thrust of the disk to andfrom the conefrusta, substantially as specified.

4. The combination,with the disk-chamber, disk, and disk-shaft, of theconical bearingsleeve, conical roller, and external bearing upon whichthe said roller shall act, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

5. The combination, with the dislrchamber, disk, disk-shaft, conicalroller, and external bearing, of the conical bearing-sleeve capable ofbeing adjusted back and forth upon the disk-shaft, for the purpose ofdetermining the proper position of the said conical roller,substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with the conical roller and disk-shaft, of theconical bearing-sleeve scribing witnesses.

JOHN THOMSQN. \Vitnesses:

WM. THOMSON, THos. G. BYRNES.

